The £50,000 will go towards helping to fund a Heart Research UK Novel and Emerging Technologies grant. This research project, being undertaken at The University of Leicester, aims to develop a simple, accurate and cost-effective test to predict which patients are at risk of sudden cardiac death and whose lives could be saved with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Emerald pledged to raise £50,000 for HRUK in 2017 to mark both its own 50th year, and HRUK’s. Emerald staff have been asked to raise £250 each in sponsorship to take part in the Three Peaks Challenge, thereby raising more than £20,000 towards its daunting target in one fell swoop.

HRUK holds particular importance to Emerald after former Emerald Chairman Martin Fojt’s sudden and unexpected passing from a heart attack in 2014.

Melissa Fojt is Martin’s daughter, and plays a key role in driving initiatives to help raise funds for HRUK: “I’m delighted that such great number of Emerald staff will be taking part in the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge. We’ve been tasked with raising a minimum of £250 each which will go directly to a grant for ‘developing a novel ECG-based test to measure the risk of sudden cardiac death’.

“I’m taking part in this challenge to raise money in memory of my father, who died of a sudden heart attack in 2014; I’m sure a number of people doing the challenge will know of someone who died in similar circumstances at a young age. We will power over the peaks, which covers a distance of 24 miles, to make our sponsors proud and to raise a lot of money for the grant!”

Jodie Thomson, Corporate Development Officer at Heart Research UK said: “We are really proud of our relationship with Emerald as they are working hard to achieve their set £50,000 target to celebrate our joint 50th Anniversaries. The Yorkshire 3 Peaks is a tough task; the Emerald team are continuously challenging themselves to raise much needed funds for Heart Research UK.

“The money raised will go towards funding a Heart Research UK Novel and Emerging Technology Grant, which aims to develop a simple, accurate and cost effective test, to predict which patients are at risk of sudden cardiac death and whose lives could be saved with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

“We wish them lots of luck for the weekend and we look forward to seeing them complete this tough challenge.”

The teams will be documenting their challenge on Twitter, follow @EmeraldGlobal and #EmeraldHeartWalk to see their progress.

More details about the Novel and Emerging Technologies project and Emerald Group’s charitable initiatives, can be found here: www.emeraldat50.com/charity/

Heart Research UK is a visionary charity that has been helping hearts near you since 1967. It funds ground-breaking medical research that benefits patients as soon as possible. Over the last 50 years the charity has funded over £24 m on medical research in hospitals and universities across the UK as well as £1.7m on innovative community-based lifestyle projects that help people live healthier, happier and longer lives. Unique, for a national charity, we spend money where it is given, helping hearts near you.

Emerald Group’s heritage is publishing research that translates theory into reality. Over the years we’ve helped thousands of people to do this and built a group of businesses that help connect and inform the worlds of research, education and learning.

Emerald Publishing was founded in 1967 to champion new ideas that would advance the research and practice of business and management.
Today, we continue to nurture fresh thinking in applied fields where we feel we can make a real difference, now also including health and social care, education and engineering.
We publish over 300 journals, more than 2,500 books and over 1,500 case studies, via our dedicated research platform emeraldinsight.com.